Josh Jenkins Sports

Night two of this magnificent new Queensland winter carnival kicks off with another new headline act, this time for the mares at Group 1 level in a brand new event named, The Golden Girl.

It’s over the sprint trip and carries a 100k purse and has brought together an excellent field of females.

The Sunshine Sprint is also a Group 1 race on the same card with 100k up for grabs. Alongside those two major draws, the South East Oaks and South East Derby will be excellent races moving towards the QLD Oaks & Derby in a week’s time.

Here are a few winners (maybe) for night two of the TAB Constellations Carnival;

THE GOLDEN GIRL
Selections;
1 SPELLBOUND $4.40 – The alley gives her many options… lead all the way as there may not be much pressure or take a trail on the favourite and zip up the lane.
2 AMAZING DREAM $2 – She can be beaten by the mares but knock off the boys. The lead would likely be there but can she stave off the hunters!?!
3 IOLANTA $34 – Been going huge in Victoria with her last run in a FFA against the boys. Map tricky but she can feature with the right run. Blowout chance and is silly odds.
4 THE STUNNING NUN $8 – Spellbound tries to lead then look out. Likely scenario is 3-pegs but a definite place chance.

MY PLAY – I’ll be backing Iolanta each way at the big price as well as having a trifecta with pegs horses to dominate (Amazing Dream, Spellbound, The Stunning Nun) and at $31 you cannot let a horse with the class of Princess Tiffany go round without a small ticket with your name on it.

THE SUNSHINE SPRINT
Selections;
5 COPY THAT $2 – Cops the draw to lead as you’d imagine Turn It Up can cross them all then will hand to a fancied rival. Still unsure whether his Rising Sun run was good or poor…
11 KING OF SWING $2.20 – Taken all before him since joining Team McCarthy. This looks his toughest test as he will almost certainly be working overtime to the breeze.
10 COLT THIRTY ONE $13 – Excellent run behind King of Swing as he chaired up and ran on despite never truly challenging the winner.
1 BRIGHT ENERGY $13 – Well supported last week but worked triple-time and weakened. Gets a plum draw to be leaders back or three-pegs and must run on well.

MY PLAY – It’s not a race I’ll be getting too heavily involved in. I like Copy That but it’s hard to take $2 about something to beat King of Swing. I loved the run of local Colt Thirty One so I might play him on a small 1 x 3.
Crunch Time and Alta Orlando are probably the only big blowout chances at north of 20/1.

TROTTING CHAMPIONSHIP
Selections;
1 HUMBLE LADD $3.40 – Nothing short of sensational since joining B McCarthy. Did work and thumped them two weeks back and sat off a hot tempo and again thrashed them last week. $3.40 seems very nice.
2 PINK GALAHS $3 – Been irrepressible in both QLD runs when she had every possible to get beaten both times. Will again be storming home late but is that the recipe for the odd defeat – a la Osborne Bulls!?!
3 GOLD CHAIN $8 – Perhaps the under rated blowout hope should the top two get into trouble. Consistent runs in Oz without landing a blow. Each way chance.
4 GODOFTHUNDER $8 – Ran a nice second last week to Pink Galahs but was given a big start and she still rounded him up. Can again make his own luck from front row.

MY PLAY – Happy to get involved in Humble Ladd at $3.40 here. Will also take some exotics with him, Pink Galahs and Gold Chain and Gold Chain to run minor placings.

SOUTH EAST DERBY
Selections;
1 BAR ROOM BANTA $2.40 – The real Bar Room Banta shone at Bendigo when running sizzling time out front and only being nosed out by a horse coming off a dream pegs run. Already a Group 1 winner at two.
2 BONDI LOCKDOWN $3.40 – Just mind-blowing when racing for half a lap off the arm, parking out and braining them first up at Melton. Comes here in rich form but may need to work again.
3 AMERICAN DEALER $5.50 – Was with him week one when he broke my heart then he reinstated himself as a personal favourite winning at big early odds in the Rising Sun Consolation. Might be stalking the top two.
4 CAPTAIN CRUSADER $18 – Excellent run behind American Dealer in the RS Consolation last week. Tough alley so will be looking for luck and gaps.

MY PLAY – I’m loyal to Bar Room Banta but the man tasked with preparing him says he’s a genuine star in the making. $2.40 is short enough but any kind of drift and I’ll be stepping in. He will lead for a long long way – probably all the way. American Dealer could be my saver should he get to even money the place.

SOUTH EAST OAKS
Selections;
I simply cannot help you here. I know Soho Broadway well… the rest, got no clue about! Eva Mateo and Moments Like These are Victorians but there’s no way I’ll be pushing you into those two.

NO BET!!

4YO CHAMPIONSHIP
1 SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS $2.80 – Was excellent in The Rising Sun when peeling wide in a speedy last half mile. Showed he can run with the big dogs but he’s more lethal as a stalker. How does Luke Mc drive him here?
2 SEND IT $5.50 – Quality horse given no hope last week when the speed was not as hot as anticipated. Draw does hurt him.
3 TOMMY LINCOLN $5.50 – Really nice former Kiwi with 10 wins to his name. Could get a nice trail through early to get handier than his draw suggests. I’d want more than 5/1, though.
4 ITALIAN LAD $18 – Barrier is nothing but pain. Does Shane Graham press on and look for a forward position? Was a fair run last week from an awful alley and was a well-rated horse when stabled in NZ.

MY PLAY – Hard to back anything with confidence. Spirit of St Louis seems too short when we know he’s better off the speed but may have to lead. Tommy Lincoln should be closer to $10, in my humble, so maybe it’s a tiny each way bet on Italian Lad at 20/1.

BEST BET – R4 N12 HUMBLE LADD $3.40
BEST VALUE – R6 N1 SPELLBOUND $4.40
BEST ROUGHIE – R2 N11 CAPTAIN CRUSADER $18, R6 N5 IOLANTA $34, R7 N10 COLT THIRTY ONE $18

QUADDIE;
Leg 1) 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12
Leg 2) 1, 4, 5, 7
Leg 3) 5, 10, 11
Leg 4) 2, 5, 6, 10